Tag Archives: furniture

Design and Innovation

Eye On Design: Étienne Fermigier’s 1970 Bar Cart

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etienne fermigier 1970 bar cart photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Who says a bar cart has to be a boring little trolley parked in the corner waiting for cocktail hour? This wonderfully unconventional design by French designer Étienne Fermigier looks ready to serve drinks, store bottles, and steal the show all at once.

Designed in 1970, the cart is a delightful exercise in geometric design. Its boxy form is broken up by contrasting white and coral-pink panels, with open compartments that reveal the layered edges of the plywood construction. The circular cutouts in the shelves add a playful polka-dot effect while providing dedicated spots for bottles. Mounted on wheels, the entire unit can be moved wherever the party happens to be. Continue reading Eye On Design: Étienne Fermigier’s 1970 Bar Cart →

Design and Innovation

How to Make Better Use of the Space Around Your Pool

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swimming pool
Image Credit: Unsplash

A pool takes up plenty of visual space, but the surrounding area often determines how much you actually enjoy it. Thoughtful seating, shade, and storage can turn an underused deck into a comfortable place for swimming, reading, or sharing a meal. Start by looking at how people move through the space and where they naturally gather. From there, a few targeted updates can make the entire backyard feel more inviting without requiring a major renovation.

Divide the Area Into Useful Zones

Give each part of the pool area a clear purpose. You might place lounge seating along the sunniest edge, create a shaded conversation area near the house, and reserve another section for dining. These zones can share the same colors and materials while serving different needs.

A good outdoor living space also needs comfortable walking routes. Leave about three feet of open space along common paths so guests aren’t squeezing between chairs. Keep furniture away from steps, gates, and pool equipment. Large planters or an outdoor rug can define separate areas without adding permanent walls
Continue reading How to Make Better Use of the Space Around Your Pool →

House and Home, Lifestyle

How to Protect Your Vintage Decor and Art Collection When Moving House

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living room with antiques photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

The prominent interior design movement currently taking over living spaces is known as the “Inherited Home” aesthetic. Rather than filling rooms with disposable fast furniture, homeowners are enthusiastically embracing heavily textured textiles, dark woods, and unique heirloom decor. Vintage collectors are investing substantial resources into heavy and fragile pieces, including burl walnut dressers, antique patchwork quilts, and hand-blown glass lamps. While these carefully curated items bring immense character and warmth to a space, they also present a significant challenge when it is time to relocate. Moving a house is universally stressful for anyone, but transporting an art collection or vintage decor requires highly specialized care, expert planning, and an understanding of material vulnerabilities.

The Unique Risks of Moving Heirloom Furniture

According to recent data from the Australian Furniture Removers Association, approximately 20 percent of residents report experiencing damage to items like dining tables, soft sofas, and timber bed frames during standard relocations. Antique wood furniture is uniquely susceptible to transit damage. The traditional hide glue used in historic joinery can easily fracture and loosen under uneven stress, awkward lifting angles, or prolonged truck vibrations.
Continue reading How to Protect Your Vintage Decor and Art Collection When Moving House →

House and Home, Lifestyle

Paint Changes a Room Before You Move a Single Piece of Furniture

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sofa in living room
Photo by Lisa Anna on Pexels.com

Here’s a little home-improvement magic trick: Take a room with the same couch, the same rug, the same layout, and the same natural light. Change only the wall color, and suddenly, the entire space feels different.

Nothing was purchased or rearranged, yet a dim, cramped room can feel brighter and more spacious, while a cold, uninviting space becomes somewhere you actually want to curl up and relax. Few home improvements deliver such a dramatic transformation with so little disruption.

That’s why people searching for painting services Fort Collins CO are often looking for more than a fresh coat of paint. They want to change how a room looks and feels. And since walls make up more of a room’s visible surface than almost anything else, they’re a natural place to start.
Continue reading Paint Changes a Room Before You Move a Single Piece of Furniture →

Design and Innovation

Protecting Your Curated Home Decor Investments

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wooden shelves in room with assorted items on displayImage Credit: Unsplash

A curated home often contains pieces chosen for their craftsmanship, history, and ability to make a room feel personal. Those qualities can also make furniture, textiles and decorative objects difficult or costly to replace. Protecting them calls for regular observation, sensible environmental controls, and careful cleaning. A few practical habits can help a vintage cabinet, handwoven rug or reclaimed wood table age gracefully without turning your home into a climate-controlled gallery.

The Value of Thoughtful Design

Quality decor can provide decades of use while giving your space a character that mass-produced pieces rarely match. This long service life is one reason designers recommend certain home decor investments, including well-made rugs and artisan furnishings.

Value also comes from originality. A distinctive piece, such as this lacquered wood sunset cabinet, can establish the color palette and visual identity of an entire room. Keep purchase receipts, maker details, and restoration records for special items. Photographing each piece from several angles also gives you a useful condition record for insurance, future repairs, or resale. Continue reading Protecting Your Curated Home Decor Investments →